Telugu cinema this weekend: Dhamaka, 18 Pages lead the pack, Connect may spring a surprise

We’ve arrived at the business end of 2022 and Telugu cinema, which has had a good year at the box office, would certainly want to sign off on a positive note. December 23, coinciding with the Christmas weekend, has four major releases in the Telugu market - Dhamaka, 18 Pages, Laththi and Connect. While Dhamaka, starring Ravi Teja and Sreeleela, is a quintessential commercial entertainer, 18 Pages, headlined by Anupama Parameswaran and Nikhil Siddhartha, promises to be an engaging romance. The other film, Connect, a horror-thriller spearheaded by Nayanthara, is dubbed from Tamil and directed by Mayuri fame Ashwin Saravanan. Laththi, also dubbed release, directed by A Vinoth Kumar, features Vishal and Sunaina.

The fact that all four films cater to different segments of audiences is certainly a good sign for all its makers and they wouldn’t be eating up into each other’s collections. In terms of commercial prospects, 18 Pages will have an edge, owing to the lead pair’s recent hit Karthikeya 2 and it is also bringing together two credible brands - director Sukumar and Geetha Arts. Gopi Sunder’s album has ensured good momentum to the film, leading to its release. The decent trailer, extravagant promotions should ensure it a good start at the ticket window.

Dhamaka, aimed for the masses, looks like a safe bet for Ravi Teja, who’s been in the middle of a rough patch this year. Trinadha Rao Nakkina, the director and the writer Prasanna Kumar Bezawada are experts in the commercial entertainer space and there couldn’t have been a better star than Ravi Teja to fit into their mould. Bheems Cecrioleo’s songs are being extensively promoted by the team and have clicked with a section of music buffs. It’ll be interesting to see how Sreeleela, coming after a success like Pelli SandaD, would handle a typical mass fare. Good word-of-mouth is crucial for this project backed by People Media Factory.

Connect, the horror-thriller, released by UV Creations in Telugu, lead by Nayanthara, may look like a dark horse amidst the other two films, though one can’t underestimate its potential. The director Ashwin Saravanan has credible thrillers Mayuri and Game Over behind him and the film received glowing feedback for the premieres held in Chennai and Hyderabad recently. In the era of content-driven films and going by the credibility of Nayanthara’s choices, Connect has a good chance of appealing to its niche audience. Vishal's Laththi is a cop drama that's low on buzz though the familiarity of its leads with the Telugu audience may be of good help. After two weeks of non-performers at the box office in Telugu states, one may expect a good Christmas weekend.